Jim Porter will be the new school board attorney for Hillsborough County

The Hillsborough County School Board just named Jim Porter as attorney. Porter will advise the elected board while Tom Gonzalez will continue to represent the district and oversee litigation. The vote was unanimous.

Now a partner at Adams and Reese, Porter worked for the Hillsborough County Attorney's office from 1990, when he started practicing law, until 2004. He was Chief Assistant County Attorney, specializing in land use law during the county's construction boom.

Porter also has served as chairman of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and is now vice-chair of Leadership Tampa Class of 2014.

Porter was chosen among three finalists. "We have had some amazing attorneys apply for this," said chairwoman April Griffin.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.